Bicycle pedal with secure fixing element, and device for fixing a shoe on the pedal

ABSTRACT

A bicycle pedal with safety fixing for a shoe equipped beneath the sole with a cleat includes a retaining device able to cooperate with the catch so as to ensure retention of the cleat and of the shoe upward and forward, and a holding member that is situated at the rear of the pedal and mounted movably along the longitudinal direction, and is able to be applied by a first elastic return device against the rear of the cleat so as to thrust it against the retaining device and ensure fastening. The retaining device is mounted in such a way as to be able to be displaced forward, countering a second elastic return device, in particular under the action of a thrust exerted by the cleat, and to return to the position of fastening of a catch of the cleat under the action of the second elastic return device.

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/FR98/01915 filed Sep. 8, 1998, which designated the U.S.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a bicycle pedal with safety fixing for a shoeequipped beneath the sole with a cleat furnished with a catch directedforward, the pedal being mounted rotatably about an axis.

2. Description of the Related Art

The invention relates to a bicycle pedal with safety fixing for a shoeequipped beneath the sole with a cleat furnished with a catch directedforward, the pedal being mounted rotatably about an axis.

The pedal relevant to the invention is of the kind of those whichcomprise:

a retaining means running transversely at the rear of the axis ofrotation of the pedal, this retaining means being situated in front ofan opening in which the cleat of the shoe can engage, and being able tocooperate with the catch of the cleat so as to ensure retention of thecleat and of the shoe upward and forward; and

a holding member, situated at the rear of the pedal and mounted movablyalong the longitudinal direction, able to be applied by elastic returnmeans against the rear of the cleat so as to thrust it against theretaining means and ensure fastening.

A pedal of this type is known, in particular from FR-B-2 564 414, FR-B-2574 743 and EP-B-0 169 080. FR-B-2 564 414 and EP-B-0 169 080 correspondto U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,019, and FR-B-2 574 743 corresponds to U.S. Pat.Nos. 4,882,946 and 4,762,019.

Such a pedal increases the safety of the cyclist by allowing fastrelease of the shoe, especially to prevent a fall, by a twistingmovement of the foot. Among other advantages, it should be stressed thatthe sole of the shoe bears directly on the pedal, a small distance fromthe geometrical axis of rotation, without being separated therefrom bythe cleat which becomes housed in an opening situated to the rear of thebearing zone; the efficiency of pedaling is thereby improved.

Although this fixing device operates in an entirely satisfactory manner,“shoe attachment”, that is to say the fastening of the cleat and of theshoe to the pedal, is not as easy as desired.

The objective of the invention is, above all, to provide a bicycle pedalwith safety fixing of the kind in question which, whilst preserving theadvantages recalled hereinabove, allows easier and faster “shoeattachment”, in the sense defined earlier. It is also desirable for thepedal to be of simple, reliable and robust construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a bicycle pedal with safety fixing, of thekind defined earlier, is characterized in that the retaining meansprovided on the pedal is mounted in such a way as to be able to bedisplaced forward, countering elastic return means, in particular underthe action of a thrust exerted by the cleat, and to return to theposition of fastening of the catch under the action of the elasticreturn means.

Preferably, the retaining means consists of a pin parallel to thegeometrical axis of the pedal and displaceable parallel to itself.

Advantageously, the pin is supported by two radially oriented arms,capable of pivoting about an axis parallel to the geometrical axis ofrotation of the pedal, the assembly of the pin and of the arms beingsubjected to the action of at least one torsion spring.

The pin and the arms may form a single piece bent into a U, made inparticular of steel wire, those ends of the arms which are remote fromthe pin being wound into a helix, oppositely directed, on each side soas to form a torsion spring. The windings of the torsion springs aresubstantially coaxial, parallel to the axis of rotation of the pedal,and a rod is threaded into these windings so as to serve as a supportfor the springs and for the pin, this rod being engaged in holesprovided on each side respectively of the pedal.

Advantageously, the holding member and the retaining means have asubstantially symmetric geometrical configuration with respect to aplane parallel to the axis of rotation of the pedal and perpendicular tothe midplane of this pedal. The holding member is likewise formed by apin with arms, constituting a single piece bent into a U, those ends ofthe arms remote from the pin being wound into a helix, in the reversedirection to the substantially symmetric windings of the retainingmeans.

The torsion springs of the retaining means tend to hold it separatedfrom the rear edge of a plate of the pedal covering the axis ofrotation, while the torsion springs of the holding member return theholding pin toward this rear edge of the plate of the pedal.

The two parallel pins define therebetween a window whose width canfirstly increase, under a substantially vertical thrust of the cleatfurnished with inclined edges bearing against the pins, so as to allowthe passage of the cleat and of its catch, then thereafter decrease withfastening of the cleat catch by recoil of the pin forming retainingmeans.

Preferably, those ends of the torsion springs remote from the arms areextended by a radial extension coming into abutment beneath a crossbarprovided at the rear bottom part of the pedal.

Advantageously, one and the same crossbar with two inclined oppositelower edges, serves as a stop for the radial extensions of the arms ofthe retaining means and of the holding member.

The invention also relates to a device for fixing a shoe to a bicyclepedal as defined above, formed by the combination of the pedal and of atleast one main cleat able to be fixed beneath the sole of a shoe and tocooperate with the retaining means and the holding member of the pedal.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set forthhereinabove, of a certain number of other arrangements which will bedealt with more explicitly hereinbelow with regard to a particularexemplary embodiment described with reference to the appended drawings,but which is in no way limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, of these drawings, is a longitudinal schematic section through apedal in accordance with the invention, and through a shoe sole with amain cleat for fastening to the pedal and supplementary cleat, at thestart of the shoe attachment operation.

FIG. 2 shows, in a similar way to FIG. 1, the pedal and the shoe sole inthe course of shoe attachment, the catch of the cleat being in theprocess of negotiating the retaining means.

FIG. 3 shows, in a similar way to FIG. 1, the pedal and the shoe sole inthe shoe-attached position.

FIG. 4, finally, is a plan view of the pedal according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1 and 4, there isdepicted a bicycle pedal 1, mounted rotatably about a geometrical axisA, with safety device F for fixing a shoe C to this pedal 1.

The expression “transverse direction” will designate a directionparallel to the axis A; the expression “longitudinal direction” adirection orthogonal to the axis A and parallel to the midplane of thepedal. The “front” of the pedal designates the part closest to the toeof a shoe fixed to this pedal. The “rear” of the pedal designates theother extreme, part of the pedal.

Only the sole 2 of the shoe C is represented schematically, with a maincleat 3 secured to the sole 2. The cleat 3 can be made from metal orplastic; it is fixed to the sole C in a removable manner by screws (notrepresented), with a possibility of adjustment at least in thelongitudinal direction.

The cleat 3 is situated at the rear of the part of the solecorresponding to the largest width of the foot. The cleat 3 is furnishedwith a catch 4 directed forward, and separated from the lower surface ofthe sole 2 in such a way as to determine a housing 5 open toward thefront. The lower surface 6 of the catch 4 is inclined from top to bottomfrom the front to the rear. The rear face of the cleat 3 comprises, inthe bottom art, a surface 7 inclined in the opposite direction to thesurface 6, and in the top part a surface 8 substantially orthogonal tothe zone adjacent to the sole 2.

A supplementary cleat 9, of smaller dimensions, is provided in front ofthe cleat 3 and is fixed to the sole 2 in a removable manner adjustableby screws (not represented). The supplementary cleat 9 likewisecomprises a forward projecting catch 10 defining, with the sole 2, ahousing 11 open toward the front.

The space 12 of the sole 2 included between the two cleats 3 and 9 isable to bear directly on a pedal plate P situated in line with the axisof rotation. The articulation of the metatarsus of the user's foot islocated in the zone of the space 12 of the sole.

The pedal 1 is composed of a hub 13 comprising a bore 14 in which isengaged an axle 15 (FIG. 4) fixed to the crank 16 and on which the pedal1 is mounted free to rotate.

When the pedal 1 is horizontal, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, theupper surface of the hub 13, formed by the plate P, is itselfhorizontal. The dimension of the plate P is smaller in the longitudinaldirection of the pedal.

The front transverse edge Pa of the plate P is secured, respectively ateach of its ends, to two branches 17, 18 projecting forward andconnected together by a front transverse edge 19. This edge 19 has beenrepresented straight, but it may have a different shape, in particularforwardly convex. The upper part of the edge 19 has a rearward turnback20, able to engage in the housing 11 defined by the supplementary cleat9. An opening 21 of substantially trapezoidal shape is delimited by thetwo branches 17, 18, the front edge of the plate P and the transverseedge 19. The supplementary cleat 9 will engage in this opening 21.

The plate P is situated substantially in the same plane as the upperpart of the edge 19.

The hub 13 is extended rearward, at each transverse end of the plate P,by a longitudinal branch 22, 23. An opening 24 is thus delimited by thebranches 22, 23, at the rear of the plate P, so as to receive the cleat3.

The branches 22, 23 run at the lower level of the hub 13. A lateralcheek J is provided on each longitudinal side of the pedal so as tostrengthen the join between the branches 22, 23 and the hub 13.

The branches 22, 23 comprise, toward their rear end, a hole 22 a, 23 aserving as a bearing to receive the ends of a rod 25.

The branches 22 and 23 likewise comprise, in proximity to the rear faceof the hub 13, a hole 22 b, 23 b to serve as a bearing for a secondtransverse rod 26 parallel to the geometrical axis A of rotation of thepedal.

The branches 22, 23 are connected in a zone lying between the holes 22a, 22 b and 23 a, 23 b, by a crossbar 27 whose lower surface has a crosssection in the shape of an open V, as visible in FIG. 1. The lower face27 a, pointing forward, is inclined from top to bottom rearward, whilethe rear face 27 b is inclined in the opposite direction.

The pedal 1 comprises a retaining means R running transversely at therear of the geometrical axis A. This retaining means R is situated infront of the opening 24 and is able to cooperate with the catch 4 of thecleat 3 so as to retain the shoe C forward and upward.

The pedal 1 likewise comprises a holding member M mounted movably in thelongitudinal direction and able to be applied by elastic return means E1against the surface 8 of the cleat 3 so as to thrust it against theretaining means R and ensure cleat/pedal fastening.

The retaining means R is mounted on the pedal 1 in such a way as to beable to be displaced longitudinally forward, countering elastic returnmeans E2.

The retaining means R advantageously consists of a pin 28 parallel tothe geometrical axis A of the pedal and displaceable parallel to itself.

The pin 28 is supported by two radially oriented pivoting arms 29, 30secured to the ends of the pin 28.

Advantageously, the pin 28 and the arms 29, 30 form a single piece madeof steel wire bent into a U, the arms 29, 30 constituting the parallelbranches of the U while the pin 28 corresponds to the elongate base ofthis U.

Those ends of the arms 29, 30 remote from the pin are wound into ahelix, in the opposite direction, so as to form, on each side, a torsionspring 31, 32 whose turns are directed toward the interior of the U. Thesprings 31, 32 are coaxial and respectively form two sleeves into whichis engaged the rod 26 whose ends are carried by the branches 22, 23.

Those ends of the torsion springs 31, 32 remote from the arms 29, 30 areextended by a radial extension 31a, 32 a coming into abutment beneaththe face 27 a of the crossbar 27.

The springs 31, 32 are provided so as to effect a clockwise return ofthe pin 28 according to FIG. 1 and so as to elastically oppose a forwarddisplacement (that is to say one toward the left of FIG. 1) of the pin28.

The rest position of the retaining member R is illustrated in FIG. 1.When the pedal 1 is horizontal, the arms 29, 30 in the rest position aresubstantially vertical and the pin 28 is separated by a distance e fromthe rear edge of the plate P.

The holding member M likewise consists of a single piece made of steelwire bent into a U comprising a pin 33, parallel to the pin 28 andsituated at the rear of the latter. This pin 33 is secured, at each ofits ends, to radial arms 34, 35 extending, at their ends remote from thepin 39, via windings 36, 37 forming a torsion spring. Each winding 36,37, at its end remote from the arms 34, 35, extends via a radialextension 36 a, 37 a which abuts at a stop beneath the face 27 b of thecrossbar 27. The windings 36, 37 are mutually oppositely directed. Thewinding 36 is furthermore directed oppositely with respect to thewinding 31 situated on the same side. The same is true for the windings37 and 32. Thus, the means E1 formed by the windings 36 and 37elastically return the pin 33 anticlockwise, according to FIG. 1. In therest position, illustrated in this FIG. 1, the arms 34, 35 aresubstantially vertical when the pedal is horizontal.

The geometrical configuration of the pin 33, of the arms 34, 35 and ofthe windings 36, 37 is substantially symmetric with that of the pin 28,of the arms 29, 30 and of the springs 31, 32, with respect to thetransverse mediator plane of the crossbar 27.

The distance L between the interior edges of the pins 32, 33 at rest isless than the distance G between the front end of the catch 4 and thesurface 8 of the cleat 3.

The rod 25, supported at its ends by the branches 22 and 23, passesthrough the two coaxial windings 36, 37.

This being so, the manner of operation of the pedal with safety fixingaccording to the invention, in particular as regards “shoe attachment”,is as follows.

With a view to shoe attachment, the cyclist places his shoe C in theposition illustrated in FIG. 1, by engaging the supplementary cleat 9 inthe opening 21, thereby positioning the inclined lower surface 6, of thecleat 3, above the pin 28.

The supplementary cleat 9 abuts against the turnback 20 of the frontedge of the pedal, which constitutes a bearing point for the shoeattachment operation.

The cyclist exerts a downward directed thrust on the cleat 3.

The lower surface 6 exerts a pressure on the pin 28 which moves forward,countering the action of the springs 31, 32, as illustrated in FIG. 2.The rear surface 7 of the cleat 3 acts in the opposite direction againstthe pin 33.

The distance between the pins 28 and 33 increases sufficiently to allowdownward passage of the catch 4 of the cleat.

As soon as the catch 4 has passed downward beyond the pin 28, thelatter, returned clockwise by the springs 31, 32, recoils and willengage in the housing 5 (FIG. 3). Simultaneously, the pin 33 comes tobear against the rear surface 8 of the cleat 3.

The shoe C is then fastened to the pedal 1 and is retained by the pin 28toward the top and toward the front.

The “shoe attachment” operation is greatly eased by this possibility ofdislodgment of the retaining pin 28. The resistance exerted by thesprings 31, 32 can be adjusted initially to the most suitable value.

The engaging of the pin 28 in the housing 5 takes place by itself,without the shoe C having to perform a recoil movement, opposite to thedirection of thrust of the foot, followed by a forward movement.

The windings 36, 37 acting on the pin 33 are scarcely urged during shoeattachment, which essentially involves the pin 28. It is thereforepossible to provide less flexible windings 36, 37 with a smaller numberof turns.

Shoe detachment, that is to say the separating of the shoe C relative tothe pedal 1, is performed via a simple twisting movement of thecyclist's foot relative to the pedal, in the direction which separatesthe heel from the bicycle. This twisting movement causes the separationof the pins 28 and 33 and the releasing of the cleat 3 which acts in themanner of a cam via its front and rear faces.

Although the description has focused essentially on a retaining meansformed by a pin 28 supported by pivoting arms, it is clear that theretaining means could consist of a pin or a sliding strip in a planeparallel to the plate P and returned elastically, or of any otherequivalent means.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bicycle pedal with safety fixing for a shoeequipped beneath a sole with a cleat furnished with a catch directedforward, the pedal mounted rotatably about an axis comprising: aretaining means running transversely of the pedal and on a side of theaxis of rotation of the pedal, this retaining means being situated infront of an opening in which the cleat of the shoe can engage, and beingable to cooperate with the catch of the cleat so as to ensure retentionof the cleat and of the shoe upward and forward; and a holding member,situated on the pedal on the side of the axis of rotation of the pedaland mounted movably along a longitudinal direction, able to be appliedby a first elastic return means against a rear of the cleat so as tothrust it against the retaining means and ensure fastening, wherein theretaining means provided on the pedal is mounted in such a way as to beable to be displaced forward, countering a second elastic return means,in particular under an action of a thrust exerted by the cleat, and toreturn to a position of fastening of the catch under the action of thesecond elastic return means.
 2. A bicycle pedal according to claim 1,wherein the retaining means consists of a first pin parallel to the axisof the pedal and displaceable parallel to the axis.
 3. A bicycle pedalaccording to claim 2, wherein the first pin is supported by two radiallyoriented arms, capable of pivoting about an axis parallel to the axis ofrotation of the pedal, the assembly of the first pin and of the armsbeing subjected to action of the second elastic return means.
 4. Abicycle pedal according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first pin formstogether with arms of the first pin a single piece bent into a U, madeof steel wire, ends of the arms of the first pin which are remote fromthe first pin being wound into a first helix, oppositely directed, oneach side so as to form the second elastic return means.
 5. A bicyclepedal according to claim 4, wherein windings of the second elasticreturn means are substantially coaxial, parallel to the axis of rotationof the pedal, and a rod is threaded into these windings so as to serveas a support for the second elastic return means and for the first pin,this rod being engaged in holes provided on each side respectively ofthe pedal.
 6. A bicycle pedal according to claim 4, wherein the holdingmember and the retaining means have a substantially symmetricgeometrical configuration with respect to a plane parallel to the axisof rotation of the pedal and perpendicular to a midplane of the pedal.7. A bicycle pedal according to claim 6, wherein the holding member isformed by a second pin with arms, constituting a single piece bent intoa U, ends of the arms of the second pin remote from the second pin beingwound into a second helix, in a reverse direction to substantiallysymmetric windings of the retaining means.
 8. A bicycle pedal accordingto claim 7, wherein the first and second pins define therebetween awindow whose width can firstly increase, under a substantially verticalthrust of the cleat furnished with inclined edges bearing against thepins, so as to allow the passage of the cleat and of its catch, thenthereafter decrease with fastening of the cleat catch by recoil of thefirst pin forming the retaining means.
 9. A bicycle pedal according toclaim 7, wherein ends of the first and second elastic return meansremote from the arms are extended by a radial extension coming intoabutment beneath a crossbar provided at a bottom part of the pedal, thecrossbar having inclined opposite lower edges.
 10. Device for fixing ashoe to a bicycle pedal according one of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein thedevice is formed by the combination of the pedal and of at least onemain cleat able to be fixed beneath the sole of the shoe and tocooperate with the retaining means and the holding member of the pedal.11. A bicycle pedal according to claim 5, wherein the holding member andthe retaining means have a substantially symmetric geometricalconfiguration with respect to a plane parallel to the axis of rotationof the pedal and perpendicular to a midplane of the pedal.